PRESS RELEASE
Friday 20 March 2020
Gary Younge, Mike Rosen, Claudia Webbe MP among speakers joining tomorrow’s World Against Racism ONLINE rally for UN Anti Racism Day
Details of the online rally can be found here: https://facebook.com/events/s/world-against-racism-online-ra/525590474784471/?ti=cl
Demonstrations were set to take place across the world on Saturday 21 March for UN Anti Racism Day, but have been postponed in many of the countries taking part due to the Coronovirus crisis.
Now to replace the street protests, Stand Up To Racism have an exciting online gathering 12 to 2pm with speakers from across the world and leading figures from our own movement.
Anti racists are stressing that the coronavirus crisis is raising massive questions about the society we live in.
Donald Trump’s attempt to brand the virus a ‘Chinese virus’ shows the scapegoating and racism at the heart of our the systems.
Hungary’s openly antisemitic leader Viktor Orbán blames migration and ‘foreigners’ for the disease. Across the world the racist right is reacting in similar ways.
Anti racists around the world are speaking out to highlight that it is this kind of racist rhetoric that has led to a spike in racist attacks and spreads fear.
Stand Up To Racism is calling for unity in the face of these threats, but already in Britain planned draconian legislation is set to target BAME communities.
Anti racists are stressing that the report into the Windrush scandal shows the racism at the heart of the Tory government and its hostile environment for migrants
This Saturday 21 March is UN anti-racism day. It’s 60 years since the apartheid government in South Africa gunned down people struggling for freedom.
Stand Up To Racism is calling on everyone to join the day of virtual solidarity, 12 to 2pm, on the ‘Stand Up To Racism’ Facebook page.
Follow and use hashtags:
#WorldAgainstRacism #RacismIsAVirus #NoRacismNoFascism #Unions4Unity
Weyman Bennett, co convenor Stand Up To Racism, said
“Unlike our government, the anti racist movement here and elsewhere in our international coordination for UN Anti Racism Day, moved early to postpone our events this Saturday.
“Like millions, we are appalled at the utter lack of action by Johnson and his government, firstly in dealing with the Coronovirus crisis itself, leaving the most vulnerable at the hands of a virus that is killing people around the world. The approach the Tories have taken constitutes a class attack – as we have seen by the despicable scenario of Harley Street offering testing for the virus at £375, while NHS workers nevermind ordinary people reporting symptoms were not able to access tests.
As this crisis unfolds, we at Stand Up To Racism and the wider anti racist movement want to stress the need to keep up the fight mobilising against racist scapegoating and division.
“It is no coincidence that following Johnson’s intensification of the “hostile environment” and raft of racist policy in the first months of this year, that racist attacks on people perceived to be Chinese have been on the rise – including a health worker on route to an overtime shift to help fight Coronovirus.
“We can not let up the pressure actively fighting to build a mass anti racist movement, and urge people to join and support our international online rally to raise the alarm and foster unity as a matter of urgency. We stand in solidarity with the refugees fighting for their lives trapped in camps and being attacked at the borders.”
Notes to editors:
1) Stand Up To Racism is a broad based organisation made up of anti-racists, students, trade unionists and faith groups. We organise various activities and events aimed at challenging the rise of racism.
2) World Against Racism is an international coordination of anti racist movements who work together, primarily on mobilising for UN Anti Racism Day demonstrations to be coordinated across the world, but also to learn from anti racist struggles in different contexts. See more at worldagainstracism.org
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